


The Depth of A Sword-person's Craft

by enchantedlightningwrites



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Awesome James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Dum-E's trying its best, Gen, James "Rhodey" Rhodes-centric, Not Canon Compliant, POV James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Swordfighting, Tony Stark still has his Malibu House, yah i'm turning a headcanon into a fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23576404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enchantedlightningwrites/pseuds/enchantedlightningwrites
Summary: Rhodey doesn't like getting interrupted in the middle of a hobby, but the two of them had to see it. Since they saw what he did and were curious, Rhodey decides to show them, he's more than just a Colonel or a fellow engineer.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Original Character(s), James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Original Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	The Depth of A Sword-person's Craft

**Author's Note:**

  * For [honestlyfrance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestlyfrance/gifts).



> So, a headcanon circling around Tumblr inspired me to write this fic. I firmly believe that Rhodey isn't just good with things that go kaboom, ya know??? That's why, y'all are gifted with this fic. Also, it's my first time to write in Rhodey's POV! If I could do something to improve it, tell me!! Thanks to @honestlyfrance, for reblogging that particular hc (or else, I would have never imagined how Rhodey using a sword would be glorious!!)
> 
> PS: Claude and Tony are cousins, NOT siblings.
> 
> If you have some confusion, you can send me an ask on my tumblr!!

**November 13, 2015**

The last thing, Rhodey had expected was for Tony to enter the room. The second last thing was that Tony _and_ Claude enter the damn room as he swished a blade through the air.

One of the Starks snickered, and the other dropped his mouth, wide open.

Rhodey froze, grasping on the handle. Dum-E also stopped, its arm hanging on its front.

Claude put some weight on her prosthetic leg, leaning against the doorway. Rhodey had assumed Tony and her were busy upstairs, letting her re-learn to walk. But damn… he should have known that they might be taking a break, and would visit the lab…

“Hey, honeybear,” Tony cooed, walking towards him. He laid a finger on the edge of the sword. “You’re doing fencing again, huh?”

Rhodey rolled his eyes, lowering the fencing sword.

“Yeah, I’ve been practicing some sword fighting for the past hour,” Rhodey answered, pulling his mask up. “Damn it, really? You just had to walk in here? The _both_ of you?”

Tony poked Dum-E’s hook, as it still held its sword.

“Well, I wanted to check up on you,” Tony answered, as he earned a chuckle from behind. “And you’re doing fancy-fighty stuff again.”

“C’mon, man, I love fencing since M.I.T.”

“And you snuck out to meetings, while I spent time at those frat parties. Honestly, you should have taken me with you.”

A loud heavy step thumped across the floor, and the two of them looked at the scarred woman limping to them. She scrunched her face at the tech around, and at Dum-E.

Claude tilted her head, shaking it at them.

“What?” Rhodey asked, not liking how he could sense her eyes being judgey under those dark sunglasses.

“Uh, nothing,” Claude replied, her hoarse voice relaxed. “Didn’t know that you were into fencing, dude. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Really? Sure, Rhodey did tell Claude a few things that Tony didn’t know (sorry, man), because she was able to understand the literary world more than his best friend would.

And she did. But since they were always busy, Rhodey never tried broaching her about fencing.

“Remember about the time, I told you about playing Hamlet in college?” Rhodey folded his arms over his chest. “That’s when I also got into fencing.”

Claude threw a palm across her forehead, as Tony’s eyes grew larger. Okay, the two of them were really surprised over this?

Maybe he should have gotten it over their thick heads, if it wasn’t stuffed with too much of their egos, honestly.

He had gotten into theatre, before getting into fencing. He had starred in different plays, not just by Shakespeare but by other famous playwrights. And in Hamlet, when he had studied sword-fighting, Rhodey had fallen in love with the techniques and styles that he used.

So, whenever Tony would be out doing his ‘thing’ (inventing, partying, or drinking), Rhodey would have busied himself with acting, theatre, or reading the scripts from his favorite plays. (And he had _many_.)

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, Rhodey.” Claude clicked her tongue, wincing. “I almost forgot that you were a nerd for Shakespeare. Can you demonstrate how you fence? Sorry, my brain is kinda messy, at the moment, so I can’t use proper… grammar.”

Tony blinked at her, his lips pursing.

“Slow down, beastie,” Tony playfully chided. “You are not in the appropriate state to do sword-fighting with anyone. Especially Rhodey. Yeah, that’s right, I’ve seen him in action, before.”

“I don’t want to duel him,” Claude retorted. “I’m just asking for a demonstration.”

“Okay, sorry.” Tony grimaced.

Actually, Tony had caught him in the middle of an intense fencing session with Dum-E, back in 2013. And slightly cracked up at the sight of the dramatic lines, Rhodey had recited in front of the robot.

So, since then Rhodey had done some fencing around, and taught Tony a little too, despite his initial appalled reaction. And they had fun, even though Tony had sucked at it. At the first five tries.

Claude, though? She was better with swords than Tony could ever be. But Rhodey wouldn’t ask her, though, because… she just had been amputated, and got a prosthetic, just last week.

Before they could even goad him into showing off some skills, Rhodey would have liked it to be over with.

“So, you’ve been doing fencing since college?” Claude inquired, sounding fascinated. “If I f**king knew that you had, I would have challenged you. _A lot_ in my house.”

“Right, because you’ve got a room as large as an entire building of a gym,” Tony murmured, with a cackle.

“Shut the hell up, bastard,” Claude muttered, scowling at him.

Sheesh, these two… let’s just say Rhodey was glad these people didn’t have any significant others, or else, they would have b!tched to him about the terrible romantic part of their lives.

Not that either had one…

“Stand back,” Rhodey ordered, taking a step to the center of the room. “And witness as I take down the person, before me.”

Tony stifled a snort, just as Claude elbowed him in the stomach. He glared at her, then she shrugged, propping the same elbow on the worktable.

Dum-E idly turned its sword in his direction.

“So, this is going to be nothing like The Princess Bride?” Tony asked, sounding amused. “You love that movie, and you loved that scene. The banter between Inigo and Wesley had been off the charts.”

“It’s a shame, I would have liked them together,” Claude remarked, lowering her sunglasses a little.

Rhodey pulled a face at Tony, the sword hanging on his side. “Jeez, man, it’s not even that accurate. I’d appreciate it, if you could just be quiet for a few, respectful moments.”

And Tony gaped, and snapped his mouth shut.

When he squeezed his eyes closed, Rhodey took a deep breath. He knew how to do the moves, the necessary defenses against his opponent.

But he wondered if… Dum-E could do it, too.

Probably not, Rhodey thought, opening his eyes and turning to it. He held the handle of his sword, bracing himself. He moved a foot forward.

“En garde!” Rhodey exclaimed, as he lunged in, directing his sword against Dum-E’s.

Dum-E skated back, turning its sword around to hit his. The sounds of blades clanged, and Rhodey bent while striking the handle. But Dum-E’s hook tightened on it, blocking his move.

Damn it. Seriously?! He had underestimated his opponent, but _this_?

Oh, it was on.

Rhodey advanced in on Dum-E, as it rolled away from him. But he cornered it near the vending machine (which Tony never removed, for some reason), and when it sliced the corner of Rhodey’s sleeve, leaving a slight tear without drawing any blood.

The moment when he returned to his position, Rhodey distanced himself from Dum-E. He whirled his sword through the air, pushing it on the foil of Dum-E’s.

He heard a camera snap, and found Tony holding his phone. Claude scoffed, shaking her head.

Rhodey maintained his focus, in an effort to not get distracted by those two.

As Dum-E swung its hook, the sword flew up in the air, getting Rhodey’s attention. The hook tried grabbing it, but Rhodey smacked the blade, accelerating its fall.

Helplessly, Dum-E watched it and made a soft sound. Rhodey winced, for probably making a robot sad.

Then again… he shouldn’t be, even if he was the half-father. (He had helped Tony with building a few bots, before)

It dropped on the floor with a loud clang.

A round of applause erupted in the room, from the two Starks standing there. Claude’s scarred face got less scary with her small lopsided smile, and Tony whooped and cheered, and grinned at him.

Tony raced towards him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

“That was f**king amazing, Rhodey. But the next time you do this,” Tony said, lifting a finger. “I’mma create a bot that’s a lot more suitable for it.”

And he had just thought of that, _now_?

Rhodey tried sighing with exasperation, except a grin curving his lips ruined it.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to ramble with me, you can @enchanted-lightning-aes on tumblr!


End file.
